Earth moving vehicle with armoured cab

Abstract

 An earth moving vehicle is fitted with an add-on armoured cab (7) that is removably fixed to brackets of the chassis (1). The armoured cab provides safety to the operators and it comprises armoured window assemblies (5,11) mounted in walls thereof, each of said assemblies comprising a first, inwardly projecting frame removably holding at least one shatter-proof glass vision block, a windshield glass pane being mounted on the outside of said first frame; and a second exterior frame spaced from said first frame and holding a set of protective shutters. In a preferred embodiment at least some of the armour of the cab consists of a laminated wall structure comprising at least one inner armour wall and at least an outer, perforated armour wall spaced therefrom.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0001] The present invention concerns heavy duty working equipment such as bulldozers, tractors and the like, to be referred to hereinafter collectively as "earth moving vehicles".

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART

[0002] There are many occasions where earth moving vehicles have to be employed in a hostile environment such as, for example, during clearance of rubble from a road in the course of fighting in built-up areas, construction of tracks in a terrain under fire and the like. In all such operations the operators of earth moving vehicles are exposed directly to fire or hurled objects such as rocks, and experience has in fact shown that casualties among the operators of earth moving vehicles in hostile environments are extremely high. It is the object of the present invention to remedy this situation.

[0003] Commercial earth moving vehicles comprise roll over protection systems adapted to accommodate the operator and the various control means for driving and operation. Such a protection system may comprise a roof or in some cases also a closed cab which, however, is not bullet-proof. Thus in neither case is the operator protected against firearms and as a rule not even against hurled rocks.

[0004] One of the principal considerations in the design of a roll over protection system is that the operator needs to have an adequate vision field to enable him to perform all his tasks. Accordingly if the normal roll over protection system of an earth moving vehicle were to be replaced by an armoured, bullet-proof cab fitted with indirect viewing means such as, for example, a periscope, the operator's vision would have been restricted to such an extent that the earth moving vehicle would not have been manageable anymore.

[0005] It is the object of the present invention to provide an earth moving vehicle which affords safety to the operator against enemy fire and rollover in com­bination with a satisfactory vision field.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0006] In accordance with the present invention there is provided an earth moving vehicle comprising an add-on armoured cab removably fixed to brackets of the chassis, which cab comprises at least one door and is adapted to accommodate at least one operator as well as all control gear for driving and operating the vehicle, the cab further comprising armoured window assemblies mounted in walls thereof, each of said assemblies com­prising a first, inwardly projecting frame removably holding at least one shatter-proof glass vision block, a windshield glass pane being mounted on the outside of said first frame; and a second, exterior frame spaced from said first frame and holding a set of protective shutters, each swingable between an open and shut posi­tion, means being provided for manipulating the shutters within the cab.

[0007] Preferably, at least one window assembly is provided on each of the front, rear and side walls of the cab in order to maximize the vision field from inside the cab.

[0008] Also if desired, any of the doors of the cab may be fitted with a window assembly as specified.

[0009] Due to the special design of the window assemblies, an earth moving vehicle comprising an ar­moured cab according to the invention is versatile and can be used both for peacetime and combat duties. During combat duty the shatter-proof glass vision blocks are in position whereby the windows are practi­cally bullet-proof. In case of heavy fire all or part of the shutters may also be shut which afford addi­tional protection. Due to the fact that the glass blocks are removably mounted, a block that has suffered a direct hit can easily and swiftly be replaced. Where this has to be done under fire the protective shutter of the hit window is shut.

[0010] As vision is better without the vision blocks the latter may, for peacetime operation, be removed altogether, leaving each window with the outer pane only.

[0011] Preferably, the window assembly will comprise mechanical wipers associated with the outer pane.

[0012] In addition to accommodating the normal gear for driving and operating the earth moving vehicle, the cab may also be fitted with airconditioning means, a receiver transmitter for communication with the outside and any other accessories that may be required.

[0013] Preferably the armoured cab of an earth moving vehicle according to the invention will be designed to accommodate a team of two, one operator and one comman­der. In such a case the cab's roof will preferably comprise a lid covered manhole to enable the commander to emerge and operate exterior auxilary equipment such as a machine gun, a light projector and the like.

[0014] Preferably, at least some of the armour of the add-on cab provided in accordance with the present invention will consist of laminated wall structures comprising at least one inner armour wall and at least one outer, perforated armour wall spaced therefrom, said perforated wall comprising a plurality of holes evenly distributed thereover, the size of the holes and the distance between them being within the range of calibres of small-arms ammunition. The protective effect of such laminated structures is based on the deflection of an oncoming bullet by the perforated plate and the formation of a yaw angle, with the conse­quence that the impact of the deflected bullet on the inner plate is weaker and less damaging than a direct hit. It has been found that by means of such laminated armour plate assemblies it is possible to attain the same degree of protection as by means of massive armour plates weighing about 40% more. In this way, a signi­ficant reduction of weight is achieved which for a given engine power is an obvious advantage.

[0015] Preferably the add-on cab according to the invention is designed as a single unit which is mounted as a whole on the chassis and which can be removed therefrom as a whole for repair and maintenance.

[0016] Accordingly, the invention also provides for use in the construction of an armoured earth moving vehicle, an add-on cab fitted with window assemblies as specified.

[0017] The add-on cab according to the invention may be used for the manufacture of armoured earth moving vehicles in the first place or for the conversion of conventional existing earth moving vehicles with con­ventional roll over protection systems.

[0018] It is further preferred in accordance with the invention that an earthmoving vehicle with an ar­moured cab according to the present invention should also have armour protection for the engine, fuel and oil tanks and the hydraulic actuators and preferably such armour protection is also designed in form of an add-on unit mounted on brackets of the chassis.

[0019] The earth moving vehicles according to the invention may be of any conventional type such as the four-wheel-drive type or the track or crawler type.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] For better understanding of the invention reference will now be had to the attached drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevation of an earthmoving vehicle with an add-on armoured cab according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view of a laminated armour plate used in making an add-on cab in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of another embodiment of a laminated armour plate used in making an add-on cab in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 4 is an elevation, partly in section of a window assembly in an add-on cab according to the invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the window assembly according to Fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 is a sectionalong line VI-VI of Fig. 5.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] The earthmoving vehicle according to the invention shown in Fig. 1 comprises a chassis 1 mounted on two crawler units 2, an engine 3, a hydraulic blade unit 4 and a hydraulic reaper tine unit 5. The engine 3 is protected with armour plates, such as plate 6 fitted with an armoured ventilating shutter 34 and which is swingable to enable access to the engine for servicing. The radiator in front of the engine is also covered with an armoured shutter (not shown).

[0022] Mounted on chassis 1 is an armoured add-on cab unit 7 comprising, inter alia, a rear window assem­bly 8, two side window assemblies 9 only one of which is shown in Fig. 1, a door 10 with a window assembly 11 fitted therein, a small oblong window assembly 13 ad­jacent to door 10, and a front window unit (not shown).

[0023] The roof 12 of cab 7 comprises means such as hole 33 for engagement by hauling means for mounting cab 7 on chassis 1 or for dismantling it therefrom. The chassis comprises brackets (not shown) adapted to sup­port cab 7 and to which the cab can be secured e.g. by bolts and screws.

[0024] Roof 12 of cab 7 comprises a lid 14 covering a manhole through which the commander can emerge, e.g. for observation or for operating auxiliary equipment such as a projector or a machine gun (both not shown).

[0025] A laminated armoured wall structure of which at least part of the walls of cab 7 are made is shown in Fig. 2. As shown the structure comprises an inner armour plate 15 and an outer, perforated armour plate 16 held together by means of bars 17. The perforated plate 16 comprises a plurality of circular holes 18 evenly distributed thereover, the size of each hole 18 and the distance between the holes being within the range of the calibre of small-arm ammunition projec­tiles. For example, the diameter of holes 4 may be 11 mm and the distance between the holes about 5 mm; or by another example the diameter of the holes is 16 mm and the distance between the holes is about 8 mm.

[0026] Armoured plate 15 may be made of armour steel and be for example about 10-20 mm thick and the per­forated armoured plate 16 may be made of hardened steel and be about 8 mm thick. If desired the laminated structure may comprise two armoured plates 16 bearing on each other.

[0027] A modified laminated armour wall structure of which at least part of the walls of cab 7 are made, is shown in Fig. 3. As shown there, the structure, which is mounted on a base plate 35 forming part of the chassis comprises two inner armoured plates 36, 37, the former being of ordinary armour steel and the latter of high hardness armour steel. By way of example, plate 36 may be 10 mm thick and plate 37 6 mm thick. At a distance from plate 37 which distance may, for example, be of the order of 75 mm, there is mounted on a bracket 38 by means of a bolt-and-nut assembly 39 a perforated blade laminate comprising two blades 40, 41, both of identical design which design is similar to that of plate 16 in Fig. 2.

[0028] Both in the case of the laminated structure of Figs. 2 and 3 it is preferred to cover the outer, perforated plate with a metal sheet in order to prevent the penetration of dust into the space between the perforated and the non-perforated plates.

[0029] The window assembly shown in Figs. 4 to 6 is by way of example the assembly 11 of door 10. The other window assemblies which are fitted in wall por­tions of cab 7, such as windows 8 and 9 are of similar design.

[0030] As shown, the assembly 11 comprises a first frame 20 with an opening 21 which is covered from the outside by a windshield glass pane 22 mounted on frame 20 by means of brackets 23. Frame 20 comprises an inwardly extending rectangular skirt 24 holding a plur­ality of shatter-proof laminated glass vision blocks 25 with the interposition of a gasket 26 and held in position by a plurality of clamps 27 mounted on then edges of skirt 24 and only one of which is shown.

[0031] Assembly 11 further comprises a second, out­side frame 28 within which there are pivoted a plura­ lity of shutters 29 which in Figs. 5 and 6 are shown in the shut position while in Fig. 4 they are shown in the open position. The upper three shutters 29 are linked by a rod 30 and thus form a first group and the two lower ones are linked by a rod 31 forming a second group. By means of two push-pull manipulators 32 each pivoted by a link to one shutter, the shutters can be swingably opened and shut.

[0032] As can be seen in the broken away part in Fig. 5 the shutters comprise an inner, perforated plate of similar design as plate 16 in Fig. 2 which causes a deflection of the impinging bullets and formation of a yaw angle so that the impact of an oncoming bullet on a vision block of the window assembly 11 is less damaging.

[0033] Preferably, windshield 22 is fitted with exterior wipers (not shown).

[0034] For peacetime operation the glass vision blocks are not required and they can be easily removed by turning open clamps 27. For operation in the course of hostilities the glass vision blocks 25 are inserted as shown in Fig. 4 and where in the course of operation under hostile conditions a block 25 has to be replaced, the shutters 29 are shut and a damaged block is rapidly replaced. Smashing of windshield 22 under hostile conditions is of no detrimental consequence because of the presence of blocks 25. At the end of operation a damaged windshield 22 can easily be replaced.

Claims

1. An earth moving vehicle comprising an add-on armoured cab removably fixed to brackets of the chassis, which cab comprises at least one door and is adapted to accommodate at least one operator as well as all control gear for driving and operating the vehicle, the cab further comprising armoured window assemblies mounted in walls thereof, each of said assemblies com­prising a first, inwardly projecting frame removably holding at least one shatter-proof glass vision block, a windshield glass pane being mounted on the outside of said first frame; and a second, exterior frame spaced from said first frame and holding a set of protective shutters, each swingable between an open and shut posi­tion, means being provided for manipulating the shut­ters within the cab.

2. An earth moving vehicle according to Claim 1 having a door with a window assembly as defined in Claim 1.

3. An earth moving vehicle according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein at least some of the armour of the add-on cab consists of a laminated wall structure comprising at least one inner armour wall and at least one outer, perforated armour wall spaced therefrom, said per­forated wall comprising a plurality of holes evenly distributed thereover, the size of the holes and the distance between them being within the range of calibres of small-arms ammunition.

4. For use in the construction of an earth moving vehicle according to Claim 1, an add-on cab comprising at least one door and being adapted to accommodate at least one operator as well as all con­trol gear for driving and operating the vehicle, the cab further comprising armoured window assemblies mounted in walls thereof, each of said assemblies com­prising a first, inwardly projecting frame removably holding at least one shatter-proof glass vision block, a windshield glass pane being mounted on the outside of said first frame; and a second, exterior frame spaced from said first frame and holding a set of protective shutters, each swingable between an open and shut posi­tion, means being provided for manipulating the shut­ters within the cab.

5. An add-on cab according to Claim 4 having a door with a window assembly as defined in Claim 4.

6. An add-on cab according to claim 4 or 5 wherein at least some of the armour consists of a lami­nated wall structure comprising at least one inner armour wall and at least one outer, perforated armour wall spaced therefrom, said perforated wall comprising a plurality of holes evenly distributed thereover, the size of the holes and the distance between them being within the range of calibres of small-arms ammunition.

Drawing